Game apparatus



28, 1945- J. M. SCHUTTE 2,401,195

GAME APPARATUS Filed April 10, 1944 Patented May 28, 1946 GAME APPARATUS Q Junius M. Schutte, Chicago, 111., assignor to Burgess Battery Company, a corporation of Delaware Application April 10, 1944, Serial N me 6 Claims. (01. 273-129) I rest uponlthe playing or supporting surface l2 This invention relates to a game apparatus, particularly to an apparatus for playing a game similar to golf. The game is adapted especially to be played indoors upon the carpet or floor, but it may be played as well outdoors upon a lawn or any other suitable surface.

It is the object of the invention to provide a game apparatus of the character mentioned which is simple and convenient to manufacture and is capable of developing considerable skill and interest on the part of the player. 4,

Briefly, the apparatus comprises a device which assumes the role of a golf club, and includes an elongated shaft adapted to be held upright by the hand an'd to rest at its lower end upon the carpetor other playing surface. The shaft has a ball propelling member pivotally supported thereon near the lower end thereof and has a striking member in the form of. a hollow cylinder which is freely slidable upon the shaft above the ball-propelling member. In operation, one end of the ball-propelling member is placedadjacent a suitable ball upon the playing surface, and the striking member is allowed to drop from a suit-- able height. In its descent, the latter member strikes the opposite end of the ball-propelling member with the result that the latter imparts a propelling impulse to the ball. A suitable goal, or series of goals, is provided, and the object of the game, as in golf, is to get the ball into the goal, or successively into a series of goals, in the smallest number of strokes.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the game apparatus in the position in which it is used;

Fig, 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the lower portion of the apparatus in a similar posi-.

tion; I

Figs. 3'and 4 are side and rear views respectively of the lower portion of the apparatus in a similar position; i

, Fig. 5 is a side sectional view of the lower portion of the apparatus immediately after it has been operated;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the lower portion of the apparatus after it has been operated, showing the goal and in dotted lines indicating the path of travel of the ball and the position of the ballpropelling member prior to operation; and

Fig. 7 is a front sectional view of the lower portion of a modified form of the apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 1, the apparatus comprises a slender shaft l0, preferably having a knob. ll

atthe u p r ndfihtreq and in ladapted to,

at the lower end thereof.

A ball-propelling member l3, in the general form of a plate, is supported pivotally upon the shaft at a point adjacent and spaced from the lower end. of the latter. An opening it is provided in the propelling member through which the shaft 10 passes. Sufficient clearance is provided between the edges of the opening and the shaft to permit the pivotal movement of the propelling member. The method for supporting the propelling member I3 is shown more clearly in Fig. 2. A pin member I5 passes through the shaft ID in a direction transversely to the axis of the shaft, and passes underneath the propelling member I 3, the end portions l6 of the pin being bent back upon themselves to form loops within which the edge portions of the propelling member are held. The edges of the propelling member may be notched as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the propelling memberis held firmly and does not move relatively to thepin. The opening l4 and the pin H) are displaced longitudinally of the propelling member l3 from the mid-portion thereof, whereby the portion of the pro.- pelling member extending in one direction from the supporting pin, which will be called the forward direction, is heavier than the rearward portion, and the propelling member normally assumes an inclined position with the forward end resting upon the supporting surface; The pin I5 is freely pivotal with respect to the shaft and the described inclined position is readily assumed by the propelling member l3 when external forces are removed.

The propelling member I3 is shown in the drawing as being slightly curved instead of planar. The curvature i such that greater lift is given to the ball than if the member were planar. It is also shown as being relatively wide at its mid-section and becoming gradually narrower toward its forward end, and becoming narrower relatively quickly and then continuing at substantially the same widthtoward its rearward end. These shape features are not of.;impor tance, and the propelling member may be planar and of rectangular or any other suitable config: uration. The only requirements are that its mass be so disposed upon the supporting pin that the forward end will normally drop to the supporting surface, and that this end has sufficient width to present a suitable propelling surface to the ball, which is shown at H. i

A striking member IS, in the general form of a hollow cylinder, is mounted intelescopingreg eral shape and. hasea. flat bottom. -surface1 adapt-v I ed to rest uponthe playing surface I2 and; an upwardly sloping top surface leading to the central'opening 2|, which is of a size suitable to receive and retain the ball IT. The opening 2I is the goal and will be called a hole.

In operation, the upper endof theshaft Illa-is grasped in one hand and the; haftvheldlin. -the..

upright position resting at its lower end upon the playing surface I2. The propelling member I3 assumes the inclined position'described h'e-re tofore and its forward edge rests upon .the sup;-

porting surface, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4. The ball I1 is placed uponthe supporting surface I2" in front of the propelling: member anddrroontact therewith or insufii'ciently'close'-proximity theretothatthe propellingmemberwill give the bath asatisfactory impact when it is=actuated-'. The striking member I8 is heldin'an elevated positionbythe other hand, as=indicatedinF1g 1; The striking member I8 i then released; whereupon it drops by gravity andstrikes the rearwardportion of the propelling member. The propelling member is therebygiven a rapid piv: otal movement from the inclined position shown in Fig; 3 tothe substantially horizontal'position shown in Fig. 5, andthe ball I1 is simultaneously given a propelling impulse; Anoperation ofthis character will be called a stroke.

The ball is preferably of" lightweightconstruw tion, such as -cork hollow rubber, etc. so that-it will 'be propelled readily by the impact andits inertia-will not carry it undesirably far, since the gameis intended primarily to be played in a relatively small" space; Inthe same manner, the propelling member I3' is preferably of lightweight construction such as a lightweight metal, thin hard-pressed paperboard, etc, so thatit will respond readily to the impact-imparted to it by the stri'king-member; The propelling member may also be made flexible sothat it can be bent by the hand to" giveto the ball 1 the amount or lift desired by theplayer.

By properly positioning the device relatively to theballi' thedirectio-n of travel'of'the ball toward thegoalis controlledj-and by regulath-ig the height from which the striking member I 8 is dropped, the force of the impulse-and the distance of travel" of the-ball" is controlled. If a maximum distance is desired, the striking memher is raised to the full height of the-sh-aft' I; that is, untilit makes contact-with the-knob I i. Ifthe ball rests only a shortdistanoe from the hole it may be necessary'to rais'ethe-striking 'member only slightly, for-example; a distance equal to its own vertical length, above the point where itcomes to rest after strikingthepropel ling member.

The action involved in a'stroke'whichresults in'the ball enteringa hole is-il'lustrated in Fig. 6. The propelling member I3 is shownindotted lines in the unoperated position with the fol-1- ward edge thereof resting upon the supporting surface I2 and the ball Ii'substantially contact with the -propellih'g member. The: striking member I8 strikes the propelling member and comes to' rest in" the position. shown; while the propelling: memberizrapid'ly moves; from the". un

operated position to the operated position, shown in full lines. The ball i given an impulse and moves in the trajectory indicated in dotted lines. It is lifted from the supporting surface and propelled forward at the same time. It then drops to the supporting surface and rolls to the edge of the goal member 20, then up the sloping surfaceotthe latterand intothe hole 2 I.

stated, heretofore, the object: Oil the game is to control the direction and force of the impulse so accurately as to cause the ball to enter the hole 2I. If the object is not attained in the stroke, a second stroke is taken while the ball liesv in the position at which it came to rest fromthe. reviousstroke, and this is repeated, as in the ordinary game of golf, until the ball is finally caused to enter the hole 2|. With the apparatus described, considerable skill, can be developed, and the interest in the game is thereby increased. As stated heretofore, several goals may be employed if desired.- Forexample, nine consecutively numbered goals may bedistributed in various locations, and various obstacles, such a pillows; etc, may be placedbetween-succes- Siva-goals, to simulate a nine-hole golf course.

A modification of-"the'apparatus is shown in Fig. 7', which modification is adapted for' controlling-the lift which is given to the-ball. In this device; the portion-of the shaft belowthe support for the propelling member is of variable length The parts of the device are similarto those of the-device shown in Figs; l-to 6, and comprise a shaft 25" having a pin 2'6='pa'ssing therethrough'and supporting a propelling member 21; The portion of the shaft below the supportingpih-ZB includes a section which consists of a=helically coiled wire, or spring 28; Theshaft Z5has a reduced portion 29' projecting from a shoulder that the lower end of the-shaft, and the helical wire i forced over the reduced portion 29* and-into contact with the shoulder- 30; The-"diameter of' the reduced portion 29 1s normally somewhat greater: than the-inside diameter of'the helicalwire so that there is--a= firm grip between the two parts.

IIr the -sa-m manner, the member 3|, which serves as-th'e bottom tip for-the shaft 25 and is preferably of-thesame lateral-contour and dimensions as isthe'shaft, has a reducedportion 32 projecting upwardlyfroma shou-Ider33. The lower endportionof the helical wire member 28 is fitted over the reduced-"portion 32' and against the shoulder 33 in the same manneras theupper portion cooperates with the end portion of shaft 25...

lnrth'e operation; of thisemodification, if it is not; desiredtoaccentuatelthe lift givezi'to the ball, the manipulation is the same as with the device shown in Figs. l'to 6; If a greater liftis desired, theashaftis urged "downward by thehan'd which grasps its upper end portion, wherebyithehelical wire member. 28 islcompre'ssed and; shortened, bringing the pinsupport '26 in closer proximity to the playing surface 34 and causing-,theinclination otthe propelling member from. the horizontal. to be reduced, whereby-the ball. is caused to arch higher. in .itstravel toward. thegoal. It will be appreciated. that such higher arching may be desirable under a number of circumstances as when'the ball lies in a position close to the goal. In such circumstances, itlmay be desirable to cause the ball" to travel the entire. distance through'the airand notundergo any rolling upon the playing surface:

Whilebut-two modifications of"theapparatus are described and illustrated, it is understood that other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as the same is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus, comprising a shaft adapted to be rested at the lower end thereof upon a surface, a support carried by said shaft at a point adjacent and spaced from said lower end, a plate member resting intermediate its ends upon said support and being in pivotal relationship with said shaft, said plate member having an opening therein through which said shaft freely passes, the portions of said plate member on opposite sides of said support being of unequal mass whereby said plate member normally rests upon said support in an inclined position, said support being spaced from the lower end of said shaft a distance such that when said shaft rests upright on said surface the lower end of said plate reaches substantially to said surface, and a striking member locally engaging said shaft above said plate member, said striking member being freely slidable longitudinally on said shaft and adapted to strike said plate member.

2. A game apparatus, comprising a shaft adapted to be rested at the lower end thereof upon a surface, a game piece propelling member pivotally supported intermediate its ends on said shaft at a point spaced from said lower end of said shaft, the opposite end portions of said propelling member extending transversely of said shaft beyond the opposite sides thereof, said propelling member in the upright position of said shaft, having one end portion normally extending downwardly to a point substantially as low as the lower end of said shaft and the opposite end portion extending upwardly from said point of support for said propelling member, and a striking member engaging said shaft above said propelling member, said striking member being freely slidable longitudinally on said shaft and adapted to strike said propelling member. l

3. A game apparatus, comprising a shaft adapted to be rested at the lower end thereof upon a surface, a game piece propelling member pivotally supported on said shaft at a point spaced from said lower end, and a striking member freely slidable longitudinally along said shaft above said propelling member, said propelling member, in the upright position of said shaft upon said surface, having an end portion normally extending downwardly from said point of support and adapted to propel a game piece and a second portion extending upwardly from said point of support and adapted to be struck by said striking member.

4. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the portion of the shaft between the lower end thereof and the support for the propelling member is of adjustable length.

5. A game apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the game piece propelling member is of flexible construction.

6. A game apparatus, comprising a shaft adapted to be rested at the lower end thereof upon a surface, a game piece propelling member, means for pivotally supporting said propelling member at a point spaced from said lowerend of said shaft, and a striking member freely slidable longitudinally along said shaft above said propelling member, one portion of said propelling member being adapted to propel a game piece and a different portion of said propelling member being adapted to be struck by said striking member.

JUNIUS M. SCHU'ITE. 

